Garment-like protective covering



y 1954 R. E. SULLIVAN 2,683,876

GARMENT-LIKE PROTECTIVE COVERING Filed April 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. $34) A. 5044/ VAN,

uwww ATTORNEYS July 20, 1954 R. E. SULLIVAN GARMENT-LIKE PROTECTIVECOVERING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1951 INVENTOR. 8W5 50 1.4. 11/40, BY 2 z ATTORNEY) Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STAT Ray E.Sullivan, San Francisco, Calili, assignor to Bikini Blanket 00., Inc, acorporation of California Application April 18, 1951, Serial No. 221,629

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a protective covering for an individual, andmore particularly to a garment-like protective covering adapted tosafeuard the wearer from fire and intense heat resulting from a fissionbomb explosion, or otherwise caused.

It is, of course, well known that the damage effected by the explosionof an atomic bomb is derived from three factors: radioactivityintenseheat, and blast force. If, atthe time of such an explosion, a personwithin the range of the effects of the bomb is enclosed within ashelter, the walls of which are composed of concrete of suitablethickness, he will be adequately protected from all of the effects ofthe explosion. While the existence of shelters of this type isundoubtedly to be desired in largely populated urban areas, the factremains that great numbers of the populace will, .at the time of suchexplosion, be so located as to not have ready access to such shelters.For such individuals, many of whom will be within modern day officebuildings which should provide in the average instance reasonableprotection against the radioactivity and blast effects of the bomb,there will be no alternative but to remain where they are. It may beassumed that in many, if not most, of such cases the principal hazard tothe individual will be the intense heat generated by the explosion andthe consequent fires in the structures within which such individuals arelocated.

With these considerations in mind, it is the principal object of thepresent invention to provide a portable, compact and relatively lightweight garment-like protective covering for an individual, to the endthat such covering may be readily donned in an emergency of the typedescribed and serve to shield the body of the wearer from the intenseheat and fires resulting from the explosion. The garment-like coveringis, of course, adapted to be used in the case of fires of any origin.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the drawings formingpart of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective looking into the interior of thegarment-like covering while the same is in opened position;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the garment-like covering;

Figure 3 is a view in section of the garment-like covering, as takenalong a plane vertically bisecting the same; and

Figure 4 is a view of the garment-like covering in use, with the wearerbeing shown'in dotted outline.

Referring to the drawingsfor more details" of the invention, thegarment-like covering, is com posed of flame proof fabric material, suchas glass cloth or suitably impregnated canvas, and said covering iscomprised of body enveloping panels if! and 42 secured together attheirr'earward edges by stitching 'M' which is preferably of asbestosthread. The garment is'further pro vided with a head enveloping portionindicated generally at it and comprising panels I8 andi'fl securedtogether at their upper and rearward edges, as by stitching 22 and 24 ofasbestos threads, and having their lower edges secured, respectively, tobody enveloping panels in and 12' by stitching 26 and 28, also ofasbestos threads; The panels l8 and 20 are composed of two plies ofmaterial, with the space therebetween being occupied by paddingmaterial, preferably of Fiberglas cotton. Additionally, the headenveloping portion 16 of the garment is provided with a strap 30 havingits ends secured, as by staples 32 to oppositely disposed portions ofthe inside plies of panels:l8 and 20, said strap 30 being provided withpadded filler material 34.

The body enveloping panels If! and 12 extend forwardly of the headenveloping portions N5 of the garment, and these forward extensions,indicated at 36 and 38, constitute flaps serving to enclose the front ofthe wearer when the garment is in use. The two flaps 36 and 38 arepreferably provided at the upper ends thereof with complementaryfastening means, such as snap fasteners 40.

The garment is intended for use substantially in the manner shown inFigure 4. After donning the garment, the wearer faces away from thesource of the intense heat or fire so as to minimize the receiving ofdamaging heat effects through the forward or open end of the headenveloping portion IS. The best contemplated mode of use of the garmentis for the wearer thereof to face into a corner of a room, or the like,thus utilizing a portion of the building structure to complete theshielding envelopment of his body. If such a protective corner or wallis unavailable, the strap 30, constituting holding means whereby thegarment may be maintained in proper position on the wearer, may be usedto pull the forward or open end of the head enveloping portion or bonnet[6 of the garment downwardly, as is illustrated in Figure 4, so that theupper surface of the bonnet may be effectively used to shield thewearers face from direct heat effects. It is to be also pointed out thatthe strap 39 may be used to serve a further function, that of a smokeand fume filter. The wearer may bring his face into engagement with thestrap so that his nose and mouth are masked from any smoke and fumesresulting from a fire, and he may then breathe through the strap. Thestrap is provided with a pocket 42 adapted to contain a sponge, notshown. The sponge when wetted with water serves as an effective smokefilter and cools the air that is breathed through the strap.

The padding in the bonnet, being of fireproof material, enhances theprotection against heat and fire afforded by the garment to the head andupper body of the wearer, and the padded bonnet also serves as aprotective cushion to the wearer against falling debris, and the like.

It is to be pointed out that the fabric of the garment is sufficientlyheavy bodied, either of itself or by virtue of the flame proofingmaterial with which it is impregnated, to prevent it being readilylifted or undulated to disclose the person of the wearer under theeffects of pronounced currents of heated air, and this heavy bodiedcharacteristic of the garment, while not sufficient to hinder theputting of the garment on by the wearer or to render the garmentuncomfortably heavy over an extended period of use, is sufficient tomake the garment partially selfsupporting when the lower edge is engagedwith the floor during use.

While the preferred embodiment of the garment-like protective coveringof the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understoodthat all substantial equivalents of said em- 4 bodiment are within thescope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A garment-like protective covering adapted to protect the wearer fromthe effects of heat and fire comprising a pair of body enveloping panelsof flameproof fabric material having their rearward edges securedtogether, a pair of head enveloping panels of fiameproof fabric materialhaving their upper and rearward edges secured together and having theirlower edges secured to the upper edges of said body enveloping panels,said latter panels each having a portion extending forwardly of saidhead enveloping panels, with said portions of said latter panels beingadapted to serve as forward body enclosing flaps for the wearer, and astrap formed of porous material secured between the upper and forwardportions of the inner sides of said head enveloping panels, whereby saidhead enveloping panels may be forcefully inclined downwardly in aforward direction to bring the front opening between said panels belowthe face of the wearer, said strap being so arranged with respect tosaid head enveloping panels as to be properly positioned to be engagedby the face or an occupant of said covering, said strap being therebyadapted for use as a smoke and fume filter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,082,214 Robinson Dec. 23, 1913 1,519,557 Sharrock Dec. 16,1924 1,576,023 Barber-is Mar. 9, 1926 2,109,951 Truesdell et a1 Mar. 1,1938 2,444,761 Walston July 6, 1948

